Mets morning links

You know things are going well when the biggest question mark on the Mets at the moment, John Maine, pitches his best game of the season to extend the club's winning streak to seven with a 7-3 victory over the Dodgers yesterday. Arthur Staple has the details of a game that completed a record-tying 9-1 homestand.

Just two weeks ago, baseball columnist Ken Davidoff was gearing up for a possible managerial change for the last-place Mets. Now, they're in first place in the NL East and gearing up for a big early-season series with the defending division and NL champion Phillies in Philadelphia. Bizarro World indeed.

Okay, no one on the Mets is saying they "own" either the NL East or the Phillies. But as Kimberly Martin reports, the Mets have a reason to feel good about themselves as they head to Philadelphia holding a 1/2-game division lead. The only sore point in the just completed homestand was the trash at Citi Field fluttering in the windy conditions. Now, it's on the fans: Give a hoot and don't pollute. Let's end on an upbeat notebook which focuses on the stellar play of reliever Fernando Nieve and rookie first baseman Ike Davis.